1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a production and inventory control system and computer program for controlling production and inventory.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a production and inventory control system according to a related art. The system comprises a purchase management system 201, an engineering information system 202, a manufacturing system 203, and a marketing management system 204. Each system has a database system. The purchase management system 201 executes purchase management application programs and registers the results with a purchase division database 211. The system 202 executes engineering information application programs and registers the results with an engineering information division database 211. The same is true for the manufacturing system 203 and the sales management system 204. Each database must be consistent with other databases when these systems are integrated.
Accordingly, the production and inventory control system comprises a maintenance system 220 for consistency of each database. For instance, a system calculates the amount of manufactured articles on that day and determines the amount of next day""s base on the calculation results. Also the system controls planned amount on a day or during a period of time. Therefore, the maintenance system 220 executes update programs for each database based on the amount of manufactured articles on that day etc. The update programs are often executed as batch process programs during night, that is, after the work.
If it becomes clear that an increase in the amount of manufactured article is required the next day, some parts of the increasing can be produced on that day, then the increase in production will be reasonably possible. However, it is difficult for a batch process program according to the related art to reduce the delay in lead-time. Therefore, the system cannot follow the information changes, and cannot comply with demands quickly.
An object of the present invention is to provide a production and inventory control system and computer program product for controlling production and inventory capable of following the information changes, and complying with demands quickly.
In order to accomplish the objects, the present invention provides a production and inventory control system, comprising a first business application system for executing a first business application, a second business application system for executing a second business application, and a production database for storing information of the first business application system and the second business application system, wherein the control system distinctively displaying the information for each of the first and second business application systems.
In this fashion, since the information, which is used by a plurality of application systems, is unified as the production database, the systems can realize following the information changes, and complying with demands quickly. Accordingly, the systems can transit from batch-type production control to real time-type production control. Furthermore, since each system is used at the viewpoint of the each business, the efficiency of business increases. Here, it is not necessary to install all components of the system to a single computer. It may be realized by a plurality of computers using computer technology or network technology.
It is preferred that the production database comprises a parts master for storing display information to determine whether the item is displayed in each system, and a parts structure master for storing structure information of products and/or parts.
It is preferred that the parts master stores address information of drawings or a technical information list corresponding to products and/or parts, and attribute display information to determine whether the drawings or the technical information list is displayed in each system.
It is preferred that the parts structure master stores hierarchical information of the products and/or the parts.
It is preferred that the first business application system provides items based on the display information, and provides drawings or technical information lists corresponding to products and/or parts based on the attribute display information.
It is preferred that the parts master further comprises release information including the start date of an item, and the end date of an item.
It is preferred that the first business application. system has a generation control search engine which outputs the structure of the product or part at a point of date or time based on the release information of parts master.
It is preferred that the parts master further comprises release information including the start date of an item, and the end date of an item, the production database further comprises a version control master for storing version information which specify the structure of a part or product at a point in time.
It is preferred that the first business application has a version control search engine which outputs the structure of the product or part at a point of date or time based on the version information of parts master.
It is preferred that the parts master further comprises condition information for extraction using complex conditions.
It is preferred that the first business application has a complex conditions search engine which outputs the structure of the product or part meeting the complex conditions.